Coking apparatus



April 26, 1932.

F. PUENING- COKING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 24, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet F] PUENING April 26, 1932.

COKING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 24, 1925 April 26, 1932. F. PUENING 1,855,417

COKI NG APPARATUS Filed Aug. 24, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 26, 41932 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE COKING APPARATUS Application led'August 24, 1925. Serial No. 52,204.

The invention relates to the distillation of carbonaceous materials such as lignite, shale, peat or bituminous coal, and relates more particularly to the distillation of these materials at low temperatures with a rapid transfer of the distilling heat to the material being distilled. The invention provides a method and apparatus for the low temperature distillation of carbonaceous material in a'n effective, rapid and economical manner,

and without the necessity of employing expensive retort constructions as has been the general practice heretofore.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus of the character described which includes a rotary drum of such construction that the carbonaceous materials are quickly raised to a temperature suilicient to cause the same to become adherent to the inner surface of the drum, thereby obtaining a material saving in time and amount of heating fuel employed, as Well as renderin it unnecessary to employ a shield or apron ad] acent the peripery of the drum for the purose of preventing the materials from falling y gravity out of their receiving grooves in the Walls of the drum. The use of the shield or apron for the purpose described, which shield has been employed in the past in rotary retorts of this character, has been attended by serious disadvanta ges` Chiely among these are that the shields or aprons interfere with and retard the exit of the gases from the material being distilled. In the event that coal is being distilled, the contact of the same with theapron causes the production of pulverized coke, which results in a loss in production of the apparatus. This friction results in the consumption of additional power, thereby adding to the expense of operation. The employment of these aprons has been a further material expense in construction and maintenance. By dispensing with the apron or shield as contemplated by the present invention, the apparatus is rendered moreetfective and economical in operation due to the elimination of the above stated disadvantages. The apparatus is more simplified by reason ofthe elimination of the shield. 50' A further obj ect of the invention is to terial to be distilled. Each of said grooves is formed of relatively narrow Width to enable the carbonaceous material to be quickly raised -to a temperature sufficiently high to convert the material into a pasty mass which will adhere to the surfaces of the grooves and permit the same to be lifted by the rotation of the drum without falling from the grooves by gravity. The intervening inwardly projecting ribs between the grooves are preferably lformed of relatively thin material to permit the distilling heat to be rapidy conducted through said ribs to be transferred to the material to be distilled contained within said grooves. The described narrow spacing of the intervening ribs to form relatively narrow grooves as compared to similar carriers heretofore employed, permits the distilling heat to be more quickly transferred throughout the body of the drum with the result that assuming bituminous coal is being distilled, the same is quickly raised to the required temperature for the formation of low temperature coke, prior to the com-A pletion of aysingle rotation of the drum. After the drum has .been rotated for substantially one-half of one revolution at a speed determined by operating conditions, the coal contained Within. the grooves becomes converted into a dry coke and its temperature is raised sufficiently to cause it to shrink away from the Walls of the grooves and to drop into a suitable receptacle provided therefor. The invention further contemplates means designed to forcibly eject from the grooves any formed coke which has not dropped out of thegrooves by grav# ity at the desired. point in the rotation of the drum.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus of the character described which will permit of the low temperature distillation of coal which has been preheated prior to its being charged into well as other advantages which may-be incident to the use of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportions and arrangement without departing from the nature and scope of the invention.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood there are shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical eiiect, Without limiting the improvements, in their useful applications, to the particular constructions and procedurel which, for the purpose of eirplanations, have been made the subject of illustration. In the said drawings Fig. 1 is a plan View of a circular retort oven constituting one preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View on line 2 2 of Fig. 3. I

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View on yline 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a suitable base or foundation which may be of vconcrete and having a suitable setting or housing 2 preferably constructed of masonry. The setting 2 constitutes a retort provided with a closed retort chamber 3 terminating at its lower end in a heating or combustion chamber 4. A cylindrical drum or carrier 5 is disposed centrally of the retort chamber 3 and is supported for rotation therein by means of a plurality of rollers 6 fixed upon a pair of transversely extending shafts 7 which latter are suitably journaled within bearings 8 for rotation within the housing 2. Rotation is imparted to one pair of rollers 6 by means of a sprocket wheel 9 secured on the end of one of the shafts 7 and driven by a sprocket chain 10 Whichpasses at its lower end over a pinion or sprocket 11 secured on the armature shaft of the motor 12, the latter being suitably secured to the base or foundation 1. lVhen the motor is energized, the drum 5 supported by the rollers 6, is caused by the described instrumentalities to rotate Within the retort chamber 3 of the housing.

The drum or carrier 5 is constructed preferably of metal and consists of a central cylindrical body portion 13 enclosed by a pair of relatively heavy annular ring members 14fand 15. The body portion 13 of the drum is provided with a plurality of inwardly extending relatively closely spaced ribs or projections 13a forming intervening receiving channels or grooves 13b for the material to be treated. The ribs 13a are preferably formed integrally with the body portion 13' of the drum, but may be independent therefrom and secured to said body portion in any desired and suitable manner. The ring members 14 and 15 are internally flanged to house the closing plates 16 and 17, thereby rendering the drum a closed retort when the described parts are assembled. The closing plate 16 is preferably provided with an external covering of insulating material 18 to assist in retaining the desired heat Within the drum. The parts described are all designed to rotate with the drum when the material is being distilled therein. The rotary closing plate 17 is provided with a centrally-disposed circular aperture 19 therein which is designed to be closed by a circular stationary plate 20 which overlaps and fits closely against the apertured rotating plate 17. A gas tight connection is insured by the provision of an annular ring member 21 which may be secured to either the stationary plate 2O or the rotating plate 17, the ring member 21 being suitably rabbeted (Fig. 3) .to provide an air tight tongue and groove connection.

The stationary plate 20 is supported in position by means of upper and lower bracket members 22 fastened to the plate as by angle irons 23, the outer ends of said bracket members being secured to horizontally extending channel members or beams 24. The latter are secured in position to the upright column or columns 25 suitably anchored to the base or foundation 1.

A pair of stationary sealing rings'26 are provided Within the retort housing 2 and are designed to bear at their inner edges against the annular ring members 14 and 15 of the drum. The stationary sealing rings are adapted to be forced with varying pressure against the annular ring members of the drum by means of a plurality of clamps 27 secured to the housing by means of anchor bolts, the desired pressure of the clamps being determined bymeans of the nuts 28 threaded on said bolts and bearing against said clamping members. The pressure of the sealing rings 26 prevents cold air from entering the interior of the drum when the coking operation is carried out under a slight vacuum, and the drum is further sealed against the escape of heated gases in the event that the latter are under pressure.

A coal,.chute 29, having a coal receiving hopper 30 at its upper end, is secured exteriorly of the apparatus to the stationary' plate 20 and to the channel members or beams 24. The chute 29 extends downwardly into the rotating drum 5 and terminates in the fiared discharge portion 31 of substantially the width of said drum. The coal or material to be treated and which is preferably preheated in any desired manner (not shown) is fed into the interior of the drum by means ofthe hopper 30 andchute 29, and is deposited within the circumferential channels or gr-ooves 13bbetween the inwardly projecting ribs 13a. The coal ci.' carbonaceous material to be treated is distributed and leveled within the grooves 13b by means of a stationary plate 30a (Fig. 2), secured to the bottom of the flared discharge portion 31 of the coal chute and spaced inwardly from the drum a suiiicient distance to permit the clearance of the latter. The drum is rotated in a clock-wise direction as viewed inv Fig. 2, and afterpassing beneath the plate 30a, the material to be cked is maintained by gravity Within the. receiving grooves 13b until ad herent.

Assuming that bituminous coal is being delivered to the grooves 13b to be distilled, the formed coke is received within the hopper portion 32 of a coke chute 33 which is suitably secured to the stationary plate 20 and extends downwardly from within the drum to terminate in a coke discharging aperture 34, in which is rotatably mounted a coke discharger 35. The lower end of the coke chute 33 is secured to the upright column or columns 25 by means of a strap or bracket 36. The volatilized gases formed within the drum by the distillation of the coal or other material, are conducted or drawn off to the desired point of reception (not shown) by means of the pipe 37 suitably secured to the stationary plate 20 and communicating With the `interior of the drum.

Air and gas for combustion are admitted into the combustion chamber 4 by means of the fuel inlet 38, the gas being supplied through the pipe 39 and air for supporting combustion being supplied through the pipe 40. The heating gases which are of the proper temperature for the eective coking of the carbonaceous material within the drum 5, circulate around said drum through the annular retort chamber 3 to externally heat the drum, said heatbeing rapidly absorbed by l the relatively narrow heating walls or ribs 13a. The exhaust or waste gases are utilized to heat a recuperator or waste heat boiler 41 located in the chamber 42 at the top of the apparatus. The water supply for the waste heat boiler or recuperator is admitted through the pipe 43, circulatesthrough the heads 44 and lues 45, and the heated water or steam is conducted from the boiler through the pipe 46 and employed for any desired purpose. From the boiler chamber 42, the waste gases are drawn off through the stack 47, controlled by a damper 48. A portion of the waste heating gases are drawn through vlarities in said grooves.

v gases will not be such as to ure or overheat the drum 5 when they contact with it. It-is further advisable to employ the recuperator or waste heat boiler 41 for the reason that the stack gases are of a temperature higher than that of the low' temperature coke produced within the drum; the recuperator 4l absorbs a suliicient amount of heat from these gases to permit the latter to be drawn through the exhaust fan 49 to be subsequently introlduced into the rear en'd of the combustion chamber 4 as above described. The tendency for leaks at the point of contact of the sealing rings 26 and the rotary drum may be reduced to a minimum and practically eliminated by adjusting the damper 48 in the stack so that the heating gases within the retort will have a pressure substantially that of zero.

A plurality of coke scraping members 53 are pivotally mounted on a shaft 54 mounted transversely of the coke chute 32, one of said scrapers being provided for each of the receiving grooves 13b. The coke scrapers are suitably counterb-alanced as at 55 (Fig. 2) to yieldably maintain the Scrapers in engagement with the grooves 13b and to compensate for' any slight unevenness or irregucured to the sides of the coke chute 32 and extends across the series of scrapers 53, there being suiiicient clearance. to permit relative pivotal movement of said scrapers on the shaft 54. The plate 56 receives the coke which is removed from the grooves by the Scrapers 53, prevents it from falling into the scrapers, and conducts the coke by gravity into thecoke chute 32 to be removed by the discharger 35. The latter'by reason of its construction serves further to prevent the escape of volatile gases through the coke chute from the interior of the rotating drum.

The coal or carbonaceous material which is received in the grooves 13b from the delivery chute 29, is distributed and leveled in said grooves by the shield 30a and thereafter the rotation of the drum carries the coal into the zone of the heating fuel gases in the combustion chamber 4. The coal is initially coked as the drumrotates and the temperature directly above the chamber 4together with thc described rapid heat-transferring qualities of the ribs 13a and grooves 13b, is such that the coal quickly becomes pasty and suficiently A plate 56 is seadherent as to remain Within the grooves and resist the forces of gravity as it is carried up towards the top of the retort. By providing a relatively large number of narrow grooves 13b on the body portion of the drum having relatively narrow projecting ribs therebetween, a comparatively thin body of coal is contained within each receiving groove. The construction described further renders the metallic body portion of the drum to be rapidly heated and the heat distributed in a short time throughout all of the inwardly projecting ribs 13a. The coal is therebywenabled to be rapidly coked during substantially one-half of one revolution of the drum, and becomes quickly of a pasty character and adherent to the grooves so as to obviate the necessity of providing a retaining apron or shield within the drum to prevent the coke from falling by gravity out of the grooves prior to reaching the scrapers 53. The drum is rotated at a comparatively slow speed which is determined by operating conditions, and the construction of the coke receiving grooves, together with the p-rovided temperature of the fuel gases on the exterior of the drum, results in the complete coking of the material by the time the Scrapers are reached, and the low temperature product of the character contemplated by the present invention, is discharged by the Scrapers 53 into the coke receiving hopper 32, to be subsequently removed vfrom the apparatus as described.

In addition to the important objects herein described as obtained by constructing the receiving grooves 13b on the inner periphery of thedrum body and of relatively narrow width, the size of the coke obtained therefrom is ideal and suitable for domestic and industrial purposes. This size which is substantially three-quarters of an inch in thickness, is the desired and general size of coke or coal for fuel purposes. By providing grooves of the described or of a substantially similar width, the ribs between which the grooves are formed are so closely spaced that the same may be made solid instead of hollow. The provision of the relatively narrow solid ribs renders the same more rapid and effective as conductors of the heat imparted to the outside of the drum to be transferred to the fuel contained in the grooves between said ribs on the interior of the drum. The outer surface of the bodyportion of the drum has been illustrated and described as substantally smooth in configuration. It will be understood, however, that by providing external outwardly projecting ribs o n the drum surface, the capacity of the drum to absorb heat from the hea-ting gases is materially increased.

A baffle 4a may be provided and directs the heating gases inthe combustion chamber to the initial coking zone immediately in the vicinity of the delivery of the vnaterial to be coke The present invention bears relation-to the method and apparatus disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 620,556, filed Feb. 23, 1923, but is designed to p rovide certain improvements and differences in construction and procedure not present in said prior application. Certain of the principles outlined in my prior application as incident to the treatment of the carbonaceous materials, are equally applicable to the procedure and apparatus disclosed in the present invention.

' What is claimed is:

l. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous material, comprising in combination: a retort setting, a rotatable hollow drum mounted to rotate therein about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of and passing through the drum and provided on its inner surface with a plurality of inwardly facing narrow circumferential grooves extending substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the drum, said grooves having intervening inwardly projecting spaced heating Walls of high heat conductivity formed integrally with said drum, means for rotatin said drum, means for heating the outer sur ace of said walls, means for delivering carbonaceous material into each of said grooves to be distilled by heat transferred from said heating walls, and means for discharging the residue of the` distilling operation from each of said grooves to without said drum.

2. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous material, comprising in combination: an enclosing chamber having a stationary enclosing wall therefor; a hollow cylindrical carrier having its axis horizontal and mounted for rotation on its horizontal axis and having on its inner circumference inwardly facing receiving grooves and heating walls extending substantiallyparallel to the -plane of rotation of the carrier, said carrier being spaced from the enclosing wall of said chamber for free rotation therein; means for rotating said carrier; means mounted on said stationary wall for delivering material to each of said grooves on the interior of said carrier; means for heating said carrier and heating walls with hot gas in the space between the carrier and the enclosing wail to transfer heat through the carrier and the heating walls to the material delivered to said grooves; a plurality of Scrapers for removing the solid residue from each of said grooves; means mounted on said stationary wall and extending within said carrier and through the planes of said'grooves for discharging the distilled material from each of the grooves on the interior ofvsaid carrier; means for conducting the volatile products of distillation from said carrier; means disposed in said space for absorbin heat from the waste heat gases; and means or conducting the cooled waste gases to within said space to be' utilized in heating the walls of said grooves.

3. An apparatus for distilling bituminous coal to form low temperature coke, comprising in combination: a heating chamber; 'a combustion chamber communicating with the heating chamber at the lower part of the latter; a hollow drum rotatable on its horizontal axis in the heating chamber and above said combustion chamber and adapted to be heated thereby and provided on its inner surface with inwardly facing narrow circumferential grooves and thin solid heating walls extending substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the drum; means communicating with said combustion lchamber for applying heat thereto for heating walls and the grooves; means for feeding coal to be coked into each of said grooves belowthe axis of rotation; means for' rotating said drum through usaid heating chamber to coke said coal; means'for withdrawing a portion of the waste heat gases from the area outside said drum and employing the same to reduce the temperature of said heating means, a heat exchanger disposed in the upper part of said heating chamber and above said drum to absorb heat from the waste heat gases, pivotally mounted means entering each of said grooves above the axis of rotation for removing theformed low temperature coke therefrom, and means for receiving coke from the portions of each of said rooves that are abor've the axis of rotation or 'continuously discharging said coke from said drum.

4. An apparatus for distillin carbonaceous material comprising in com ination: a hollow drum rotatable on an axis disposed at an angle to the vertical and extendin parallel to the axis of and passing throug the drum; a stationary enclosing wall for said hollow drum, said drum being provided on rits inner circumference with a series of alternate inwardly facing circumferential grooves and heating walls therefor extending substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the drum; means for externally applying heat of combustion of gas to the walls of said grooves; means secured to the stationary enclosing wall of said drum for feeding preheated material to be distilled concurrently into each of said grooves below the axis of rotation; means for rotatin drum; means for withdrawing a portionof the Waste heat gases from the area outside said drum and conveying 'the same to Said heating means; a heat exchanger interposed between said drum and the heat-withdrawing means for absorbing heat from' said waste heat gases; means vcooperating directly with each of said grooves above the axis of rotation for removing residue of distillation therefrom above the axis of rotation; and

means secured to the stationary wall for said said i drum for receiving said residue from portions of each of said grooves that are above their axis of rotation and for discharging the said residue from said drum.

5. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous material comprising in combination: a hollow drum rotatable on an axis disposed at an angle to the vertical and extendin parallel to the axis of and passing throug the drum; a series of alternate inwardly facing circumferential grooves and heating walls therefor on the inner surface of the drum and extending substantially parallel to the plane of rotation thereof; a stationary enclosing wall for said drum spaced therefrom to form a heating chamber therebetween; means for effecting flow of gas of combustion through the heatingchamber; means for feeding preheated material to be distilled into each of saidgrooves below the axis of rotation; means for rotatin said drum; means for withdrawin a portion of the waste heat gases from the eating chainber and conveying the same to said heating means; means interposedbetween said drum and said heat-withdrawing means for lower- ,ing the temperature of the waste gases; means cooperating directly with each of said grooves above the axis of rotation for removing residue of distillation therefrom and means for receiving said residue from each of said grooves and for discharging the said residue from said drum. y

6. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous material, comprisin in combination:

f a combustion chamber; a ollow drum having its axis horizontal and rotatable on its horizontal axis labove said combustion chamber and adapted to receiv'e heat therefrom; a series of alternate inwardly facing narrow circumferential grooves and thin heating walls therefor on the inner circumference of said drum and extending substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the drum means -for heating said walls; means for feedingi material to be distilled into each of sai grooves; meansA for rotating said drum; means disposed within'said groves for removing the residue of distillation therefrom; means for reducing the temperature of waste heat gases; and means for introducing said waste heat gases into said combustion chamber. i

7. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous material, comprising in combination: a hollow cylindrical carrier mounted for rotation on an axis disposed atan angle tothe vertical and extending parallel to the axis of and passing through the carrier; a series of alternate inwardly facing charge receiving and colring grooves and heating walls therefor disposed on the inner circumference ofv said carrier, each of said grooves extending substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the carrier; means for heating said heating walls and carrier; means for charging each of said grooves below the plane of the axis of rotation of said carrier; means for rotating said carrier; and means for dischargingthe coked material from each of said grooves above the plane of the axis of rotation of said carrier; substantially7 as specified.

8. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous material, comprising in combination: a hollow rotatable drum havin its axis horizontal and mounted for rotatlon on its horizontal axis and having spaced ribs of high heat conductivity on its inner curcumferencc, said' ribs providing intervening narrow grooves'that extend substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the drum and face in- Wardly to receive the material to be distilled; a stationary enclosing Wall for said drum; means for rotating said drum; means carried dby said stationary wall for feeding material into said grooves; means for evening the material in the grooves; and means disposed within said grooves and above the plane. of the axis of rotation of said drum for removing the residue of distillation therefrom; substantially as specified. k

9. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous material, comprising in combination: a hollow drum mounted for rotation on an axis disposed at an angle to the vertical and -extending substantially parallel to the axis of and passing through the drum; a series of alternate inwardly facing narrow receiving grooves and thin heating Walls therefor on the inner circumference of the drum, each of said grooves extending substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the drum; a stationary enclosing wall for said drum and spaced therefrom to form a heating chamber therebetween; means for effecting flow of gas of combustion through said heating chamber-V means for rotating said drum; means for charging each of said grooves with material to be carbonized; and means for removing the solid residue from each of said grooves.

10. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous material, comprising in combination: a hollow drum having its axis horizontal and rotatably mounted aboutitshorizontalaxis;a statlonary enclosing wall for said drum and spaced therefrom to form a heating chamber therebetween; a series of alternate inwardly facing grooves and heating walls therefor on the inner circumference of the drum, each of said grooves extending substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of said drum; means for rotating said drum; means for delivering material to said grooves on the 1nner c1rcum erence of said drum; means for effectlng flow of gas of combustion through 'said heating chamber for heating said drum to distill the material contained in said grooves; and means for removing the distilled solid residue from said grooves.

11. Apparatus for low temperature coking comprising, in combination: a retort setting; a hollow drum having its axis horizonl tal and mounted to rotate about its horizontal axis within said setting; a series of alternate inwardly facing annular grooves and heating walls therefor on the inner surface f of the drum, each of said grooves extending substantially parallel to the plane of rotamy hand.

FRANZ PUENING. 

